Connected and automated mobility

What is Connected and Automated Mobility?

Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) refers to autonomous/connected vehicles or self-driving cars (vehicles that can guide themselves without human intervention).

EU countries, industry and the Commission collaborate to achieve the EU's ambitious vision for connected and automated mobility across the EU, taking into consideration public authorities, citizens, cities and industry interests.

With the evolution of digital technologies, such as robotics, internet of things, artificial intelligence, high-performance computers and powerful communication networks, vehicles in general, and cars in particular, are quickly changing. Therefore policies and legislation relating to digital technology, including cybersecurity, liability, data use, privacy and radio spectrum/connectivity are of increasing relevance to the transport sector. These aspects need coordination at the European level in order to ensure that a vehicle may remain connected when crossing borders.

What is the Commission doing?

The European Commission supports the introduction and deployment of CAM on various levels:

• Policy initiatives: developing policies, roadmaps, strategies in close collaboration with stakeholders.

• Developing standards at the European level

• Co-funding research & innovation projects (H2020), support actions and of infrastructure pilots

• Developing legislation at EU level when needed

Cross-border corridors

The 29 signatory countries of a Letter of Intent signed at Digital Day 2017 agreed to designate 5G cross-border corridors, where vehicles can physically move across borders and where the cross-border road safety, data access, data quality and liability, connectivity and digital technologies can be tested and demonstrated.

The European Commission's ambition is to focus on these corridors in future EU automated driving projects in the area of digital policies, with links to cybersecurity, privacy, 5G, internet of things, data economy, free flow of data, etc.

The EU supports 3 projects (running as part of the European Commission’s 5G Public Private Partnership) which will set up 5G trials over more than 1000km of highway including four cross-border corridors: Metz-Merzig-Luxembourg, Munich-Bologna via the Brenner Pass, and Porto-Vigo and Evora-Merida, both between Spain and Portugal.

Other relevant initiatives

• The Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) is a system allowing the exchange of information between vehicles, and between vehicles and the road infrastructure. Road authorities/operators are working closely together on the C-ROADS Platform, which allows to harmonise the deployment of C-ITS activities across Europe. The goal is to achieve the deployment of interoperable cross-border C-ITS services for road users.

• The Commission launched the High Level Group GEAR 2030 in January 2016, in an effort to ensure a coherent EU policy on vehicles. The group gathered several Commissioners, Member States and stakeholders representing the automotive, telecoms, IT and insurance industries.The group made recommendations to ensure that the relevant policy, legal and public support framework is in place for the roll-out of highly automated and connected vehicles by 2030.

What is industry doing?

European Automotive - Telecom Alliance (EATA)

The Commission initiated a number of High Level Round Table discussions to strengthen the digital dimension of CAM. These discussions have brought together the industrial players from the digital and automotive sectors to develop joint road maps and establish cross-border deployment actions. Among the main achievements of the Round Table is the creation of the 'European Automotive – Telecom Alliance' (EATA) to promote the wider deployment of connected & automated driving.

5G Automotive Alliance

In parallel, the industry joined up to create the 5G Automotive Alliance (5GAA) to specifically promote 5G in the automotive sector. A Memorandum of Understanding amongst EATA and 5GAA was signed at the Mobile World Congress (February 2017).

CAR2CAR Consortium

The CAR2CAR consortium focuses on wireless vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication applications based on ITS-G5 and concentrates all efforts on creating standards ensuring the interoperability of cooperative systems spanning all vehicles classes, across borders and brands. The Consortium works in close cooperation with the European and international standardisation organisations like the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and European Committee for Standardisation (CEN).